Pregnancy, labor and delivery are dangerous processes. People often take for granted that 40 weeks of pregnancy will result in a healthy delivery, but that is not always the case. Some families have one of the most exciting times of their lives marred by an unexpected tragedy.
Birth injuries are frequently preventable with proper prenatal care and support during the labor process. Unfortunately, they still affect thousands of families every year. A birth injury will do more than affect the health of the newly-born child and the postpartum mother. It will affect the entire family.
What are some of the most profound ways that a birth injury affects someone’s family?
There will be increased medical expenses
Whether a child deprived of oxygen during labor suffers an injury to their brain or a child physically injured by the use of forceps requires treatment to help them heal and encourage healthy physical development, there will usually be thousands of dollars in medical care associated with a birth injury.
Even in scenarios where the effects are temporary and treatable, a birth injury could devastate a family financially. In situations where the injury is lifelong, the cost will be even higher.
There will the profound demands on the parents
Every parent with a newborn child serves as a caregiver, but those who have a child with special needs will have to commit much more of their life to their child’s medical care and daily support needs.
Even a parent who does not leave their job will find that they lose thousands of dollars in income a year. Those who have to leave their work to serve as full-time caregivers will lose even more.
The family dynamics will change
From the expectations parents had for their children’s future to how frequently the family can take exciting trips, multiple facets of family life will permanently change because of a child with significant special needs.
Medical issues could affect every part of your family’s lifestyle, from increasing the cost to provide accommodations in your home to whether you can travel for holiday visits with family. You may need to offset the personal and financial losses you will experience because of birth injury by making an insurance claim against the doctor or hospital or possibly filing a civil lawsuit.
Taking action when medical malpractice causes a birth injury and changes your family can at least reimburse you for the practical consequences of the loss.